Mastering the Climb: How to Train, Prepare, and Execute Faster Hill Climbs
by Coach Anthony James Great climbers aren’t just strong, they’re prepared, precise, and efficient. Hill climbing success comes down to three pillars: structured training, smart execution, and consistent fueling. But there’s one piece riders often overlook… Strength training is non-negotiable. Let’s talk about how to build complete climbing performance from the gym to the dirt […]
Race Day Nutrition Crisis Management: What to Do When Your Plan Goes Wrong
You spent months preparing for your race. You tested your fueling strategy during training, packed your nutrition, and reviewed your pacing plan. Then race day happens. The aid station runs out of drink mix. Your stomach suddenly revolts. You drop a bottle. Your gels become impossible to swallow or the gravel road is so rough […]
Beyond Gels: Variety in Your Gravel Race Fueling Arsenal
Why flavor fatigue happens and how to combat it If you’ve ever been 4 hours into a 100-mile gravel race, staring at another packet of strawberry gels, and nearly vomited at the thought of putting one more in your mouth, you’ve experienced flavor fatigue. It’s real, it’s brutal, and it’s one of the biggest reasons […]
Gravel Racing Hydration: The Drink-to-Thirst Strategy That Works
Gravel races can be a long time in the saddle. Your legs will burn, your lungs will beg for mercy, and somewhere around hour four, your brain will start making questionable decisions about “just one more hill.” But you can control one critical variable that makes or breaks these epic days: your hydration strategy. Let’s […]
Gut Training: Building Your Digestion for Long Endurance Races
How to train your body to process calories at high rates—without losing your lunch by Coach Paul Warloski Ann Trason, 14-time Western States winner, reportedly said that ultra marathons are “an eating and drinking competition with a little running in between.” She’s not wrong. But here’s the problem: you know you need to fuel, yet […]
The Gravel Race Nutrition Formula: 50-80 Grams of Carbs Per Hour
Your glycogen stores will empty between 90 minutes and three hours in a long gravel race. It doesn’t matter how fit you are, doesn’t matter how perfectly you paced. Without external fuel, you’ll be riding on fumes by the time the course really gets interesting. The bonk doesn’t care about your FTP. But here’s what’s […]
Do Hard Efforts “Ruin” an Endurance Ride? What Every Cyclist Needs to Know
You head out for a Zone 2 ride. Then a hill shows up. You push a little harder. Maybe into threshold. Maybe you sprint over the top. And then the question hits: “Did I just ruin the purpose of this ride?” It’s a common concern—especially with all the talk about Zone 2, polarized training, and […]
The Psychology of Gravel Racing: Managing Doubt and Fear
How to train your mind as hard as your body so you can finish strong There’s a moment, or maybe more than one, in every long gravel event – you know the one. The legs are fine. The fuel is there. But somewhere around mile 60 (or 80, or 100), a voice starts whispering: You […]
Aid Station Strategy: Maximizing Efficiency at 100-Mile Gravel Markers
You’ve trained for months. Your legs are ready. Your bike is dialed. But at mile 70 of a 100-mile gravel race, when your legs are screaming and your stomach is rebelling, the aid station can make or break your day. Most riders treat aid stations like a buffet. They roll in, stop for 3-5 minutes, […]
How to Race Strong in the Final Hour of Your Gravel Event
You’ve ridden 75 miles. Your legs are screaming. Your stomach is somewhere between “meh” and “please no more gels.” And that rider who was sitting on your wheel for the past two hours just accelerates up the next climb like they haven’t been suffering at all. Welcome to the final quarter of your gravel event. […]
